From Manendar to Allama Iqbal: Investigating Interfaith Harmony between Buddhism and Islam in Pakistan and Iran

Abstract

The intellectual discourse surrounding peaceful coexistence and harmony among religions is a rare occurrence in Pakistan. Consequently, this project has been precisely devised to explore interfaith harmony within conservative and orthodox societies, specifically targeting regions like Pakistan and Iran. In pursuit of this objective, this study conducts a comparative analysis of the classical Buddhist text “Malinda Panha”, the renowned philosophical work of Iqbal titled “The Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts in Islam”, and the philosophical contributions of the eminent Iranian Shia-cleric, Ali Shariati.

This investigation seeks to unveil the complex connections between Islam and Buddhism by scrutinizing distinct concepts such as attention, wisdom, perception, volition, consciousness, transmigration, rebirth, soul, intentional and unintentional wrongdoing, ethical dilemmas, inference, asceticism and similes. The “Malinda Panha” rooted in dialogues between Menander, the king of the Indo-Greek Kingdom of Yavanas, and the Buddhist monk Nagasena in locations like Sagala (capital of Yavanas, also known as Sialkot) and Kishtwar (Kashmir), serves as a foundational text for this exploration. The research sheds light on how Iqbal’s intellectual framework draws inspiration from the ideologies that evolved within his native region.

Simultaneously, this study also examines the intellectual contributions of Iranian thinkers, notably the influential Shia-cleric Ali Shariati. Shariati, aligning with Iqbal's approach, advocates for peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony within socio-religiously diverse societies. Through this scholarly endeavor, this study aims to contribute valuable insights into the confluence of ideas and perspectives within these distinct yet interconnected intellectual traditions.